Drive mechanism for washing machines and the like



Nov. 8, 1949 J. E. LYLE Em. 2,487,253

' DRIVE MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Fil ed Dec. 5, 19472 Sheets-Sheet 1 l6 17 h \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\L\ i 20a 16 H 14 'I c r 26 25/0 20 ,5 II. we .23 A; 24

INVENTORS JACK ELYLE, AND BY WALTEH.9NES

Nov. 8, 1949 J. E. LYLE ETAL 2,487,253

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 5, 1,947 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l i l C 3/ A f 1 39 o i 20 Z I 45 25 '44 V 1 o m BY rATTORNE Patented Nov. 8, 1949 DRIVE MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES ANDTHE LIKE Jack E. Lyle and Walter H. Haines, Akron, Ohio, asslgno'rs toThe Pratt-Lyle Corporation, a corporation of Ohio appueauen December 5,1947, Serial No. 789,890

14 Qlaims. (CI. 74-81) 1 This invention relates to washing machines anddriving mechanisms for washing machines and the like.

Its chief objects are to provide an improved mechanism wherein anoscillating member is driven from a rotary member through intermediatemeans of such character that the amplitude of oscillation can be varied,preferably without stopping or changing the speed of the rotary member,and preferably with provision for reducing the amplitude of oscillationto zero, so that the agitator of a washing machine, for example, can bestopped without disengagement of a clutch or stopping of the motor. i Amore specific object is to provide in an improved manner for varying thespeed and amplitude of a washing machine agitator so that it can provideeither the violent agitation appropriate for the washing of heavy orbadly soiled garments or gentler agitation for washing delicate garmentsor for the use of the washing machine with a dry-cleaning fluid in placeof water.

Another specific object is to provide adjusting means having itsactuating part extending through and sealed to a wall of the mechanismshousing so that the mechanism can be run in oil. Another specific objectis to provide a locking means so interposed between'a driving part andThis worm-wheel is provided with a pitmanstud I6 projecting upward fromit and here shown as havingsecured upon its upper end portion a crank I1adapted to be secured upon and to drive a wringer-driving shaft (notshown).

Between the worm-wheel l4 and the crank H the pitman-stud l6 hasjournaled upon it one end of a pitman rod i8, the other end of which ishinged, by means of a pin l9, upon the outer end of an oscillating arm20 which, near its other end, is pivoted upon a short stud 2| projectingupward from the floor of the gear-case and upon a generally cylindricalrack-bar 22 which extends rotatably and slidably through a bearing inthe gear-case cover and into a guide-way formed in a bearing-sleeve 23formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from the oscillatory arm20. the rack-bar 22 and the stud 2! being coaxial.

The oscillatory arm 20 is of U-shape in crosssection, thus being open atone side, and is internally formed as a guide-way for a slide 2%,

to back-lash incident to a large number of joints Fig. 4 is a planview,on a much larger scale, of

a slide and a locking mechanism for it, one of the parts being sectionedon line 4-6 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, I0 is the gear case and H is the gear-casecover of a washing machine. The agitator shaft I2 is journaled in a stepbearing in the floor of the gear case and extends upward through abearing in the gear case cover. It is adapted to be driven, through ourimproved mechanism, from a motor-shaft worm l3 meshed with a worm-wheelM which is journaled upon a stud is set in a socket in the floor of thegear-case.

which is retained in the guide-way'by retaining plates 20a,-20b' securedto the respective spaced edges of the U-shaped arm 28 by cap-screws 20c,20c. Fig. 2. The slide 28 is bifurcated at its outer end and providedwith a wrist-pin 25 for the adjacent end of a connecting-rod of whichthe other end is pivoted, by means of a stud 2'5, to a gear-segment 28which is pivoted tothe floor of the gear-case at 29, Fig.1, and ismeshed witha pinion 30 secured upon the agitator shaft i2.

For moving the slide 24 lengthwise of the oscillatory arm 20 and thusvarying the stroke of the connecting-rod 26, the rack-bar 22 is meshedwith a gear-segment 3| formed on the hub of an arm 32 which is hingedbetween ears 33, 83 projecting upward from the oscillatory arm is andextends downwardly therefrom into" the interior of the arm 28.

The slide 26 is formed with a tapered tongue portion 24a,which projectstoward the arm 32 and is formed with a horizontally extending slot 34. Apin 35 slidably mounted in said slot extends through a thin am 3611 anda thick arm 36b of a Z-shaped link 36, Figs. 3 and 4, to the 1 other endof which the lower end of the arm 82 is hinged by means of a pin 31. Thepin 35 is adapted to move the slide 24 positively in one direction orthe other as it reaches one or the in one direction or the other byvertical movement of the rack-bar 22.

ace-mes teethof the rack-bar and the gear-segment, the rack-bar isformed with a vertically extending transverse slot II occupied by a pin38 having its ends anchored in the walls of the bearingsleeve 28.

For moving the rack-bar 22 up or down while permitting it to oscillatewith other parts of the stroke-adjusting mechanism it is swiveled at itsupper end, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, to the outer end of warm 40secured upon a rockershaft 4| having means, not shown, for rocking it.

The mechanism as shown comprises means, actuated as an incident of thelost-motion movement of the pin 35 in the slot 34, for securing towardthe right-hand end of the arm 2| in 1'18. 3 that the hinge-pin 25 of theconnecting-rod 28 can be brought into and locked in coaxial relafrom thescope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim: 1. A washing machine comprising a frame and,

mounted thereon, an oscillatory agitator and,

the slide 24 at differen posi i n lengthwise ,515 for oscillating thesame, a rotary member, means the oscillatory arm 20. This mechanism, asshown clearly in Fig. 3, wherein the two retaining plates c are omitted,comprises a pair of arm 42, 43 hinged to the slide respectively at 42a,43a. The arm 42 near its middle, has pressiitted in it and projectingupward from it, through a hole in the upper wing of the slide, a.locking pin 44 adapted to be engaged selectively in sockets, such as thesockets 45, 45, formed in the upper wing of the oscillatory arm 20. Apin (not shown) corresponding to the pin 44 is mounted in and projectsdownward from the lower arm, 43, through a lower wing of the slideand'is adapted to be engaged selectively in sockets formed in the lowerwing of the oscillatory-arm 20 and corresponding to the sockets 45.Interposed between the arms 42 and 43 is a compression spring 46 whichconstantly urges the pins, 44, to enter any of the sockets with whichthe pins are brought into registry.

For disengaging these pins from their sockets as the pin it approacheseither end of its slot 34 in the Z-shaped link 3', a pair of togglelinks 41, 48 are hinged at 41a and 48a respectively to the swinging endsof the arms 42 and 42 and are hinged to each other in a toggle elbow byhaving their adjacent ends overlapped and hinged to each other by beingmounted'upon a part of the pin 35 which projects from the z-shaped link38, one of said adjacent ends preferably being bifurcated, as shownclearly in Fig. 4.

In the operation of the device, the worm-wheel l4 being constantlydriven in the same direction by the worm IS, the pitman rod l8oscillates the arm 20 about the common axis of the stud 2i and rack-bar22. The arm 20, in turn acting through the connecting-rod 28, oscillatesthe gear-segment 28, and thus, through the pinion 3|, the agitator shafti2 is oscillated.

To change the length of the stroke the rackbar 22 is moved upward ordownward by means -of the rocker-shaft 4|, the first effect of which isto force the toggle links 41, 48 from their middle, vertical positionsand thus withdraw the locking pins, such as the pin 44, from the socketsin which they have been engaged. Further movement rack-bar 22, arm 32,link 38 and pin 35, bringing the pin II into contact with an end-wall ofits slot 34, then moves the slide 24 to a new position in its guidewayin the arm 20, and, the adjusting force on the slide then being releasedwhen the locking pins are substantially in registry with another pair ofsockets, the locking pins are forced into them by the spring 46. Whenthe adjustment is made while the machine is operating, reversal of thedriving force on the slide assists the locking pins in finding their newsockets. and that is assisted also by a slight rounding of the outer endfaces of the pins.

for driving the rotary member, an arm mounted for oscillation about anaxis permanently fixed with relation to the frame, a pitman-rodconnecting the rotary member with the oscillatory arm 20 for oscillatingthe latter, and means connecting .the oscillatory arm to the agitator tocompel the latter to oscillate as the said arm oscillates, the mechanismincluding a shiftable member mounted on said arm for movement thereon to25 change the effective length of the arm, the last said member havingpivotal connection to one of the adjacent members in the defined trainof mechanism, and adjusting means mounted in permanently coaxialrelationto the arm and oscillating therewith, but comprising anadjusting member axially movable with relation to the arm, for changingthe position of the said shiftable member on the arm.

2. A washing machine comprising a frame and,

mounted thereon, an oscillatory agitator and,

for oscillating the same, a rotary member, means for driving the rotarymember, an arm mounted for oscillation about an axis permanently fixedwith relation to the frame, a pitman-rod connecting the rotary memberwith the oscillatory arm for oscillating the latter, and meansconnecting the oscillatory arm to the agitator to compel the latter tooscillate as the said arm oscillates, the mechanism including ashiftable member slidably mounted on saidarm for movement thereon tochange the effective length of the arm, the last said member havingpivotal connection to one of the adjacent members in the defined trainof mechanism, and adjusting means mounted in permanently coaxialrelation to the arm and oscillating therewith, but comprising anadjusting member axially movable with relation to the arm, for changingthe position of the said shiftable member on the arm.

3. A washing machine comprising a frame and,

mounted thereon, an oscillatory agitator and, for oscillatingthe same, arotary member, means for driving the rotary member, an arm mounted foroscillation about an axis permanently fixed 6 with relation to theframe, a pitman-rod connecting the rotary member with the oscillatoryarm and directly hinged to the arm at an axis permanently fixed thereon,a slide mounted on said arm, means connecting the slide to the agitator65 to compel the latter to oscillate as the arm oscillates, andadjusting means mounted in permanently coaxial relation to the arm andoscillating therewith, but comprising an adjusting member axiallymovable with relation to the arm, for

changing the position of the slide on the arm.

4. A washing machine comprising a frame and, mounted thereon, anoscillatory agitator and,

' for oscillating the same, a rotary member, means for driving therotary member, an arm mounted The series of sockets preferably extendsso far for oscillation about an axis permanently fixed .with relation tothe frame, a pitman-rod connecting the rotary member with theoscillatoryarm and directly hinged to the arm at an axis permanently fixed thereon,a slide mounted on said arm, means connecting the slide to the saltstorto compel the latter to oscillate as the arm oscillates, and lockingmeans interposed locally between the arm and the slide for holding theslide at selective positions on the arm.

5. A washing machine comprising a frame and. mounted thereon, anoscillatory agitator and, for oscillating the same, a rotary member,means for driving the rotary member, anarm mounted for oscillation aboutan axis permanently fixed with relation to the frame, a pitman-rodconnecting the rotary member with the oscillatory arm and directlyhinged tothe arm at an axis permanently fixed thereon, a slide mountedon said arm, means connecting the slide. to the agitator to compel thelatter to oscillate as the arm oscillates, and adjusting means mountedin permanently coaxial relation to the arm and permanently coaxialrelation-to the arm and oscillating therewith, butcomprising an adjusting member axially movable with relation to the arm, for changing theposition of the slide on the arm, the assembly including meanscontrolled by movement of said axially movable member for locallylocking and releasing the slide with ,relation to the arm. I

6. A washing machine comprising a frame and; mounted thereon, anoscillatory agitator and, for oscillating the same, a rotary member,means for driving the rotary member, an arm mounted for oscillationabout an axis permanently fixed with relation to the frame, a pitman-rodconnecting the rotary member with the oscillatory arm and directlyhinged to the arm at an axis permanently fixed thereon, a slide mountedon said arm, means connecting the slide to the agitator to compel thelatter to oscillate as the arm oscillates, and adjusting means mountedin permanently coaxial relation to the arm and oscillating therewith,but comprising an adjusting member axially movable with relation to thearm, for changing the position of the slide on the arm, the assemblyincluding toggle means means for driving the rotary member, an arm,mounted for oscillation about an axis permasaid member having pivotalconnection to one of the adjacent members in the defined train ofmechanism, and adjusting means mounted in oscillating therewith butcomprising an adjusting memberaxially movablebwith relation to the armfor changing the position of .the said shiftable member on the arm.

10. The combination of a frame and, mounted on the frame, a to-and-fromember to be actuated and, for actuating it, a rotary member, means fordriving the rotary member, an arm mounted for oscillation about an axispermanently fixed with relation to the frame, a pitmanrod connecting therotary member with the oscillatory arm, and means connecting theoscillatory arm to the said to-and-iro member for actuating the same asthe arm oscillates, the mechanism including a shiftable member slidablymounted on said arm for movement thereon to change the eflective lengthof the arm, the last said member having pivotal connection to one of theadjacent members in the defined train of mechanism, and adjusting meansmounted in permanently coaxial relation to the arm and oscillatingtherewith but comprising an adjusting member axially movable withrelation to the arm for changing the position of the said shiftablememher on the arm.

11. The combination of a frame and, mounted on the frame, a to-and-fromember to be actuated and, for actuating it, a rotary member,

controlled by movement of said axially movable member for locallylocking and releasing the slide with relation to the arm.

7. The combination of a mounting for a slide, a slide mounted thereon,and requiring to be locked thereto at different positions thereon, a 4pair of pins mounted on the slide and projectable therefrom to engagethem in selective pairs of recesses formed in the mounting, yieldingmeans mounting and having its position on the slide controlled by saidpin-shifting arm, and means for turning said arm on its. hinge-axis forengaging and disengaging the pin with relation to the mounting andmoving the slide on the mounting.

ble member mounted on said arm for movement thereon to change theeffective length of the arm, the last said member having pivotalconnection to one of the adjacent members in the defined train ofmechanism, and adjusting means mounted in permanently coaxial relationto the arm and oscillating therewith but comprising an adjusting memberaxially movable with relation to the arm for changing the position ofthe said shiitable member on the arm.

12. The combination of a frame and, mounted on the frame, a to-and-fromember to be actuated and, for actuating it, a rotary member, means fordriving the rotary member, an arm mounted for oscillation about an axisperma- 9. The combination of a frame and, mounted nently fixed withrelation to the frame, a pitman-rod connecting the rotary member withthe oscillating arm and hinged to the arm at an axis permanently fixedthereon, a slide mounted on said arm, means connecting the slide to thetoand-fro member to actuate the latter as the arm oscillates, andlocking means interposed locally between the arm and the slide forholding the slide at selective positions on the arm.

.means interposed locally between the arm and the slide for holding theslide at selective positions on the arm, means for shifting the positionof the slide on the arm and means controlled by actuation oi the lastsaid means ioreiiecting unlocking and re-locking oi the slide withrelation 14. The combination of a pivotally mounted member formed with aguideway for a slide, a slide associated therewith for movement from andtoward the axis of the pivotally mounted member, a journal pin on saidslide, adjusting means mounted in permanently coaxial relation to thepivotally mounted member and having pivotal movement therewith butcomprising an adjustingmemberaxiallymovableiorchangingthepositionoi'theslideon thepivotally mountedmember.andmeansoontrolledbyaetuationotthesaid adiustina means iorlocking and unlockinatheslidewith reiationtothepivotally mounted member.

JACK nnm. WALTIR. 1!. names.

ammczs mm The following references are of record in the iile of thispatent:

um'rm s'ra'rm ram nan Number Name Re. 10,028 Get: Apr. 7, 1031 1,965,183Gets July 3, 1034 2,048,901 Kirby July 7, 1936 2,202,499 Logue May 28,1940 2,319,485 Alabrime May 18, 1943

